If you are an ambitious chocolate maker, it’s time to fill the form and send samples for the most important competition in the world of fine chocolate. The Academy of Chocolate (not to be confused with Barry Callebaut’s training centres operating under the name ‘Chocolate Academy’!) is accepting entries for their Awards. Started in 2005, this foodies-oriented organization from London, UK defines what we understand as fine chocolate (no vegetable fats other than cocoa butter; min. cocoa content 60% for dark & 30% for milk chocolate; no artificial additives).

Getting the Academy Award was a transformative moment for many modern chocolate makers, with great resemblance to the Oscars in the world of cinematography. Until 15.03.2016 the fee is 35 GBP / entry. All the details can be found on the new website http://www.acadofchoc.com/where you can submit the application. Who knows, maybe in April you’ll be holding the Golden Bean?

Congratulations to all these dreamers and visionaries who make the world a better place – for farmers, for retailers and all the other people in the cocoa value chain, including, of course, chocoholics. It’s time to celebrate. Academy of Chocolate published the winners list of the most important awards in the fine chocolate universe. Below are the results of all BAR categories (filled chocolates were also judged).

Bar description by Marou: “This chocolate is made with cocoa that is produced at MAROU’s own cacao fermentation and drying station near Cat Tien Natural Park in Dong Nai province, making it a very rare ‘pod-to-bar’ chocolate. This chocolate is mild with surprising notes of spice”